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Removing rust in confined areas

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scooby074

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Any tips/tools for removing rust in confined areas?

Im redoing a dump trailer and the floor crossmembers are 16" OC (even less on the last section)

I have been using an electric grinder w/wire wheel and a small RA die grinder with a brush. Also been using a needle scaler.

The trailer deck and frame really limits the angles I can get. The crossmembers are C shaped and only about 3" tall and I cant get much access into the corners or the bottom flange of the C shape due to the deck. I can acces most of the upper flange with the needle scaller.

Even blasting would be hard. Once again the deck of the trailer would prevent getting an angle at the lower flange.

The rust is pretty heavy and scaley. The needle scaler works wonders on it in other areas, but I cant get access. The wire wheels wont let me access the corners either, plus they dont really knock out the rust like the scaler.

Ive also tried my air hammer with a bent chisel. That was sort of OK but not ideal.

Any ideas?
 

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scooby074

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POR is good stuff. Use it lots.

This rust is pretty scabby. Pressure washer is only 1200psi or so. Not powerful enough to touch it. I really need to get this rust smashed up and off the trailer to do what Id consider a good job, even using POR.

90% of the trailer I can get to, just this lower flange on all the cross members is kicking my ***! And of course some of the worst rust is on these lower flanges.

Trailer sat in high grass for a couple years before I got it. The trailer wasnt elevated at all to allow drainage. Condensation/grass/other **** layed on thee bottom lips of the channel and caused a lot of problems.

Plus the paint is really thin. Possibly powder coat or maybe liquid statically applied. Nooks and crannies, like the cross members got minimal paint to begin with.
 
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Skin

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Just scrape it as best you can even if you have to bend a paint scraper or something similar then hit it with rust converter and paint or use an undercoating. Because of where it is and where you are, no matter what, its going to rust again anyway. By the time it actually poses a structural problem you'll probably be ready to send it to the junk yard anyway.

If you want the most life out of it just make sure to get in those areas with a hose a couple times a year to get any road gunk out.

I have (mild) OCD too but sometimes you just have to be realistic in the rust belt.
 
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jubilee

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On heavy duty (class 8) truck frames, we just get a punch or pipe in there and beat the **** out of it with a BIG hammer. Vibration will get most of it. Then get a long nozzle air tip on about 175 lbs of air pressure and blow it out. Repeat complete process. Get the 3’ nozzle and bend it as needed. Then spray rust converter with air siphon gun. Don’t use aerosol spray cans. Let dry. Repeat. Let dry and paint with good rust resistant FRAME paint.
The BIG hammer will let you know quickly if you have a weak rust through area.
 
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scooby074

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Copymutt said:
Get your media blaster out. The next issue will be how to get paint in there.
Jim
Click to expand...

Media blaster wont work. Cant get an angle at the area with the most rust (bottom flange of C). See pic first post.

Not worried about getting paint in there. That is one thing I can do. A bent radiator brush will get in the problem area. Going to apply it heavy when I do it too.
 
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